Samuel Bateman, 48, leader of a polygamous sect near the Arizona-Utah border, faces a precarious plea deal situation due to two co-defendants rejecting parallel offers from prosecutors—a condition crucial to Bateman’s plea, possibly leading to the withdrawal of his guilty plea. After the high-profile raid at the polygamist group’s compound in September 2022, Bateman faces 51 felony counts related to child marriages and sexual activities.